Reviews

Read about Rod's Trip to the Philippines with the TrackChair

When I first saw the TrackChair I was extremely impressed with the new mechanism, and all of the possibilities it promised. The fact that you could steer the chair one-handed and carry things such as files, drinks, or even a newborn baby, made me very excited about the freedom this chair promised.

My concern however, was that having more moving parts within a chair would create a possibility of reduced reliability. It seemed to me that normal use of the chair would put extreme pressure on the gearing required to make the TrackChair what it is. Alan and Adrian assured me this was not the case. I wanted very much to believe them, so I presented them with an unusual proposal. I told them I would believe in the reliability of the TrackChair if they allowed me to take it to the Philippines and use it in every day situations for the period of one month. The guys had no hesitation in arranging a brand new TrackChair for me to take to the Philippines.

As I journeyed to the airport with only my TrackChair and no other backup, I must confess I was a little nervous. What if the chair did breakdown? I would have no way of getting around for the remainder of my trip. All the assurances given by Alan and Adrian were small comfort as I boarded my Qantas jet bound for Sydney then Manila!

As it happened, I had NOTHING to worry about. The TrackChair performed brilliantly!

During my stay in the Philippines I treated the TrackChair as I would my normal wheelchair. I threw it in the back of the trunk of countless taxis, by necessity rode it over drops of 3 feet or more (the Philippines is extremely inaccessible). I drove over some of the worst potholed dirt roads you could imagine, through torrential rain, (it was wet season in the Philippines), through dust and gravel, and a variety of surfaces that would be difficult to find anywhere but Asia. As the trip progressed, I became almost determined to break the TrackChair! If Alan and Adrian wanted to know if this chair would break, I would break it for them. I am pleased to report I failed!

Some of my minor concerns were weight of the chair, and the ability of other people to assemble what is a different chair to normal. On the occasion that I used a cab driver more than once, the first time I gave him instructions, the second I left him to his own devices. On all but one occasion, the driver needed no assistance on his second attempt. As for the weight of the chair, it is true that it weighs more than a normal chair. However, the unique mechanism of the TrackChair seems to make pushing this chair easier. I think that is because in a straight line using the unique mechanism of the TrackChair, your stronger arm is assisting what normally is your weaker arm. This was an unexpected benefit.

In summary the TrackChair was a delight to use. And in truth, although I tried, I just could not break it. I know I sound disappointed, but I'm not. The promises made by Alan and Adrian were in fact sustained. I am pleased and proud to have tested the TrackChair in a real-world situation and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

Rod Gothe

Testimonial

Congratulations for having produced a great product.

The expectations that we hoped for when we purchased the chair have been well and truly met.

The ease of use, freedom of movement, combined with the comfort that TrackChair has provided for my 86-year-old mother is a joy for all of us.

My mother is a resident of a Nursing Home after suffering a stroke that resulted in her losing the use of her left arm. By using TrackChair, she is now able to access all of the activities available in the home without having to rely on, or wait for, a busy member of staff to take and collect her.

Thank You.

Terry Lee